Some circles find it permissible, not matter the form, while others (Jewish legal opinion) believe it shouldnt be written in Hebrew. But I've begun to doubt that practice, at least for published writing (I don't wish to police others . Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. Names of God. Capitalization lets readers know whether a gender pronoun refers to God in the biblical text or to a human being. Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! In English, personal nouns are capitalized and pronouns are not. It is a matter of personal conviction, preference, and context. W e also capitalize the first letter . Some, believing it shows reverence for God, capitalize all pronouns that refer to God. Danielle McLeod is a highly qualified secondary English Language Arts Instructor who brings a diverse educational background to her classroom. Although I still use them occasionally if I think the reader expects me to. Of course, I would never agree to Christ or God not being capitalized. In phrases like the Biblical god and a forgiving god, which do have articles, theres no need to capitalize god because it is a common noun rather than a nameyet many religiously inclined writers still capitalize the word in these instances. All opinions are my own. Yes, the major style guides prefer that personal pronouns referring to God are not capitalized.But they also allow for author (or publisher) preference. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. If you're now wondering which translations of the Bible use capital "H," regardless of the publisher . Jessica. The early belief in polytheistic gods and goddesses was an attempt to explain the many natural phenomena occurring in the world. That mans assistance was a godsend yesterday. On our website and blog, and on social media, we usually capitalize pronouns referring to deity. Because the Bible is the name of a book i.e. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. YES, I BELIEVE (HYMN) LYRICS. (ESV) So thats one vote for not capitalizing deity pronouns but the author can decide. CORRECT: "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Heb. Yes, the major style guides prefer that personal pronouns referring to God are not capitalized. I have worked for a Christian organization for over 30 years and was told early on that if the words God or Jesus are in the sentence, you dont need to capitalize the pronouns, but if it isnt, you do capitalize. Incidentally, the consistency guideline is why Im a fan of the Oxford comma. Thats another vote for lowercasing deity pronouns unless the author prefers capitalization. The Times turned him down in 1926 before coming around in 1930, when the paper wrote that the new entry in its stylebook its internal guide on grammar and usage was "not merely a . The only alternative would be to quote from NASB or NKJV, both of which capitalize pronouns of deity, but neither of which is my preference for purposes of clarity. Those are hardworking, but godless people. In the same way, to suppose on this basis that the Holy Spirit is a person to be referred to as "he" or "him" is incorrect. When The Atlantic was revising its style guide for the web a few months ago, my cubicle unexpectedly turned into a . May 09, 2019 18:06. I have multiple translations of the Bible in my possession, and some capitalize only for God, some for God and Jesus, some for neither. Weve reviewed the literature and official recommendations for writing the name of God. Non-fiction publishers may follow CMOS or may use a genre-specific style guide. I dont like it. When bible is referring to a book of great usefulness, it is not capitalised. I apply a simple test in my Roman-era novels. He, Him, His) referring to the Christian God (God, Yahweh, Father, Jesus Christ, Jesus, Christ, Holy Spirit, etc.) If I'm talking about a general concept of a god or gods such as "The gods of ancient Greece," then there's no need to capitalize the word. Summary. In the case of Christians, their god is rarely mentioned by name, so using capitalization is usually less distracting than using the name Yahweh. It started feeling odd to capitalize the deity related pronouns in my latest work and I think your post and the comments have helped me. I've noticed likewise in other. @hammar the atheists likely to be having that conversation with Christians are generally familiar with multiple faiths (past and present), all of which (to the atheist) are broadly equal. Polytheistic religions have multiple gods referred to in lowercase unless the specific name of the god is being used, such as Zeus. Continue following your conviction. AP/The Atlantic. Ur article is a waste of time and an insalt to God. It is neither right nor wrong to capitalize or not capitalize pronouns that refer to God. . It does not store any personal data. He's going to have a talk with Father.) are also capitalized. So if discussing the Bible, you will capitalise the word God. (EPM has chosen to capitalize the pronouns in our self-published books.) But notice that while Heaven is capitalized (since it is an actual place), I dont capitalize There or It when referring to Heaven, e.g. 10 capitalization rules everyone should know Capitalize the first word in a sentence. This group happened to be a Christian reader group, but its a question that seemingly flummoxes readers and writers alike. My first New Testament paper came back with all the He and His words scribbled on in red ink. The rules for capitalizing the titles of family members are simple. According to the Journal Sentinel style book, God must be capitalized in references to the deity of all monotheistic religions. The lowercase god is only used in reference to gods and goddesses of polytheistic religions. I John 1:5-7. When you buy via the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. We only capitalize the "G" in the . Only if the parakletos or helper were known to be a person could the use of a gender-inflected pronoun justifiably be used in English. Conservative Christian style often requires, out of deference to God, the capitalization of pronouns referring to deity. For example, the group of people becomes the Debate Club, the classroom becomes English 101, and the girl becomes Mary. If this ever confuses you, ask yourself if the noun takes a definite or indefinite article. If you are not capitalizing pronouns that refer to God because you believe proper English grammar/syntax/style should be followed, wonderful! If Holy precedes the Bible (Holy Bible), it is also capitalized.. In fact, these pronouns are never capitalized in the source documents. A fiction author may therefore consider it appropriate to use He and Him in a historical novel. However, dictionary.com says "God" refers to "the one Supreme Being, the creator and ruler of the universe. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. But, curiously enough, the official writings of my church do not, which leads me to believe that being scrupulous about it is not the end of the world. I continued to do it for years but it created inconsistencies since I would capitalize pronouns of deity, then quote Scripture that didnt. "It would help when we have sentences with two 'he's,' in which one refers to God and one refers to a human.". However, if you feel it is . "King" is a monarchy title used to address the male leader of a kingdom. The inconsistency stood out. I believe that you should capitalize the He,Him or His when referring to God.That is out of respect. Your email address will not be published. Since God is not male, should we stop using masculine pronouns to refer to God? Others, believing the rules of English style should be followed, do not capitalize the deity pronouns. The Holy Bible is a proper title of a book and the word bible in this case must always be capitalized. Others, believing the rules of English style should be followed, do not capitalize the deity pronouns. God (capitalization) English speakers also traditionally capitalize the pronoun He in reference to God. Of course, I would never agree to Christ or God not being capitalized. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The monotheistic god of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam is the same and is referred to as God, the name. God is capitalized when it is used as a proper noun. Quick answer: The Bible is a title, and book titles are always capitalized. No, I havent heard of that before. What happened to Aham and its derivatives in Marathi? However, were here to serve everyone without cost, so please dont feel obligated to give unless the Lord leads. Join me in creating stronger families in faith. I also review Christian novels at www.christianreads.blogspot.com. A proper noun names a specific noun. These are descriptive words and not direct words for God. I capitalize when referencing God (I.e, He, His, Maker, etc.) This intends no disrespect to God;it is the usage of the historic English Bibles: Wyclif (1380), Tyndale (1534), Cranmer (1539), Geneva (1557), Rheims (1582), and King James Version of KJV (1611). By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. For example King James Bible, Gideons Bible or Hebrews Bible. When referring to Greek, Roman, and other groups of gods and goddesses, only the name is capitalized. If gods starts your sentence it should be capitalized (also read: Funny Christian pick-up lines). Find it. I actually like the pesky capitals, but its good to know the decision is really up to the author. How did Dominion legally obtain text messages from Fox News hosts? It is neither right nor wrong to capitalize or not capitalize pronouns that refer to God. The phrase oh my God has become more and more common over the years. We would like to thank God for our success. Capitalization of pronouns is a convention of language and not intrinsically a sign of honor or respect or divinity. It not only shows reverence, but sometimes increases clarityas in Jesus and Peter were talking, and then suddenly He said to him, Look out. But where its not possible, i.e. @hammar: That's what I had in mind, but not what I wrote. However, respect for God and His name does have precedence, both from the Ten Commandments ( Exodus 20:7) and from the Jewish traditions surrounding the name of . The name or title of any specific deity is capitalized just like any other name, so when "God" is used to refer to "the one God" (in other words, in any monotheistic religion), it is capitalized. We can refer to Jesus as He or he, Him or him, but we must choose one and apply that style choice consistently. Now youre aware of when to capitalize God. My question is if this is an appropriate or common practice among Christians? There are so many words to represent God. It is neither right nor wrong to capitalize or not capitalize pronouns that refer to God. It will take some work to go back through what I have already written, but I think it helps to keep it consistent with the contemporary thought. Comments disabled on deleted / locked posts / reviews, Glad to hear I am not the only one. As an editor who edits exclusively for theological content, just want to add that a good addition to the list of style manuals youve cited in this regard would be the SBL Handbook of Style (Which Im sure pre-dates the CWSM) prodcued by the SBL Society of Biblical Literature. Just like to give respect or not give respect, to choose life or death. Why do we need to capitalize the word God? Style manuals refer to pronouns such as He, His, Him, and Your when referring to God as deity pronouns. Score: 4.8/5 (7 votes) . This is a matter of language convention. is there a chinese version of ex. Once again, this is a case when specifics get capitals and general terms are lowercased. In studying anthropology, she discovered that those who believed in God often had a more positive outlook on life. The reverse is almost impossible without a careful proofread. rev2023.3.1.43269. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. When interacting with atheists, I try to avoid capitalization unless it helps make my point clear. Should gods be capitalized? Many Christian publishers use CWMS, either alone or in conjunction with another style guide such as CMOS. Do EMC test houses typically accept copper foil in EUT? It not only shows reverence, but also sometimes increases clarityas in Jesus and Peter were talking, and then suddenly He said to him, Look out. But where its not possible, i.e. 1.) The real God should always be capitalized. I have always believed that the capitalization is to distinguish God from man. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. For example, office supplies are expected to be consumed in the near future, so they are charged to expense at once. How was circumcision practiced in Jesus' time? Helping Christian authors achieve their publishing goals. After all, youre still referring to the one God. It just makes this whole page look unprofessional and untrustworthy. If the character does not yet believe in one or both, then the answer is no for the ones that character does not believe in. We want to know whats right! Capitalization Rules For Titles. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. It's the same for my church body. If the Bible is used in the secular context, it will not be capitalized (e.g. In the original languages of Hebrew and Greek, this cap H thing wasn't a problem. As a broad generalization, CMOS is more commonly used for fiction, and AP is more common in journalism. Yes, the major style guides prefer that personal pronouns referring to God are not capitalized. 'God' when talking about a specific god, as if 'God' is a name. Others do not. This remains a common practice among people of faith, but it is by no means obligatory. When you use the name of God in vain, it is also capitalized. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Capitalization Rules in English | Quick Guide & Examples. The answer is neither. When God inspired the human authors of Scripture to write His Word, He did not lead them to give any special attention to pronouns that refer to Him. I provide professional freelance manuscript assessment, copyediting and proofreading services for writers of Christian fiction and non-fiction books, stories and articles. This intends no disrespect to God;it is the usage of the historic English Bibles: Wyclif (1380), Tyndale (1534), Cranmer (1539), Geneva (1557), Rheims (1582), and King James Version of KJV (1611). Each of us must follow his/her own conviction and each of us should refrain from judging those who take a different viewpoint. I havent actually looked at the original use of a pronoun. May 29, 2014. Why is he or him not capitalized in the Bible? Spirituality and spiritual growth authors tend to capitalize any word that to them represents a higher concept or God: Universe, Gratitude, Divine Love, Universal Mind, Consciousness. I believe theres no power greater. The Chicago Manual of Style is one of the two most commonly used style guides in the USA, with the other being AP (Associated Press). But rules are rules. In general, I try to use whatever the person I'm communicating with is using. If you are not capitalizing pronouns that refer to God because you believe proper English grammar/syntax/style should be followed, wonderful! This answer is: this other does. well most of the time. God is always capitalized when referring to a single God, Jehovah, Yahweh, Allah. Ive wondered about this. When God inspired the human authors of Scripture to write His Word, He did not lead them to give any special attention to pronouns that refer to Him. Religions and religious movements (e.g., Judaism, Methodism) However, there are some cases where the correct capitalization . Atheism is the default position. It occurs when you use the person's name after the title or use a particular reference. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. One rule might be to switch the case depending on whether his humanity or His deity is in view. Would the reflected sun's radiation melt ice in LEO? But where it's not possible, i.e. To first recognize when to capitalize the word god, students of the language first need to know the basics of capitalization. This is the reason I do not capitalize the "word" of God because ultimately Jesus is the "Word" of God, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Yes. With degrees in science, English, and literacy, she has worked to create cross-curricular materials to bridge learning gaps and help students focus on effective writing and speech techniques. Christians are supposed to follow what God wants them to do. God is an important part of Western society. or the common noun is being used as a title (e.g. (But watch me!) @hammar in your estimation, do atheists care that many Christians and most Jews would not want the name of God to be pronounced or see it written? To be sure, there will continue to be many opportunities to use the word in lowercase form. When god is used generically or in reference to any but the singular, monotheistic God of the Bible, it is not capitalized: God is capitalized when it is used as a proper noun. Altho I usually wont mention it to them. 'god' when talking about the word as a noun. It's interesting to note that the Scriptures, when referring to themselves with the term "word . Im relieved that I dont have to use those pesky capitals any more. So, who is right? So, who is right? Should all pronouns referring to God be capitalized? 2012-04-24 22:21:44. Browse other questions tagged, Like any library, Christianity Stack Exchange offers great information, but, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. I am an affiliate for many of the products and services I recommend on this site. When any direct name of God is not capitalized (Father, Son, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, God), it REALLY bothers me, but when any pronouns (He, Him, His, Who, You, etc.) This is used for academic theological writing (in conjunction with another guide like CMOS or Harts Rules). This is pretty common among atheists. We don't have to capitalize the "g" when we refer to the Roman gods because they were named Jupiter, Mars, Saturn, etc. Should 'god' be capitalized? Light and Darkness, Sin and Forgiveness. I prefer double, because its dead easy to use Words Find and Replace function to change all double quotation marks to single. You probably know you should capitalize proper nouns and the first word of every sentence. The name is used every day in literature, prayer, and even pop culture. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". This question has recently been raised in one of the (many) Facebook groups Im a member of. We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. I is a pronoun that has always been capitalised the proverbial exception that proves the rule. Over 1.5 million copies sold! Note that the used of LORD in the Bible in all capitals is altogether different; this is used in many English translations to denote when the (transliterated) Hebrew name for God, YHWH, is used. Where things get interesting when we enter the territory of capitonyms: words that may be capitalized or not depending on the intended meaning. We can see that the exchange is a bit more clear if we use a translation that capitalizes "He": Exodus 3:4-6 (NASB) The capitalizing on God needs to stop..but showing your respect by always using capitals for HIM is not only RIGHT, but it is respectable. I knew that editor well. he, him, his the great I Am the great high priest the great shepherd Jesus Christ the King, King eternal . when they are referring to Jesus Christ as a form of respect. What tool to use for the online analogue of "writing lecture notes on a blackboard"? These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Ive also seen reviews pointing out that the author didnt capitalise pronouns referring to God, so it seems some readers still expect it, too. God is kept lowercase when it is referred to as a common noun. Im thinking about this because the use of whom has come up several times recently in the editing of my blog posts and book manuscripts. 2.) In brief, bible, when referring to a holy book of religion, should be capitalised. Throughout this article, there are detailed explanations for when God is capitalized. That includes Angels since we are a little bit lower than they. The subject came up about using capitalization for words referring to God, the Father, the Son, the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, the I Am, the Man Eternal and the Trinity. Capitalize family relationships when used as proper nouns . So if you (or your client) wants to capitalize He and Him, You and Your, then they can. To summarize the proper noun/common noun usage, I think the easiest way to handle the situation is to capitalize the word god when it is used as a proper name as the name of the god of a monotheistic religion, such as the god of Christianity or Judaism, and not capitalize it when it is used as a common noun:. Somewhere along the line I picked up the habit of capitalizing He, His, Him, etc. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. . This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Again, this is not a right vs. wrong issue. 3 eternal God Eucharist Exile (biblical event) Helpful. In a court, they refer to a judge as Your Honor or Chief Justice and for a mayor in some countries is addressed as Your worship/worshipful Mayor and His (Her) Royal Highness, His (Her) Majesty (for Royal families), https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/awards-tributes/forms-of-address/. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. Interacting with atheists, I try to avoid capitalization unless it helps make point... To Greek, Roman, and your when referring to a book i.e bounce rate, traffic source etc... Descriptive words and not intrinsically a sign of honor or respect or divinity question of the ( ). Accept copper foil in EUT cookies to give unless the author can decide phenomena occurring in original. The Week delivered right to your inbox of these cookies help provide on. Is almost impossible without a careful proofread this group happened to Aham and its derivatives in Marathi wasn & x27. Indefinite article with all the He and His words scribbled on in red ink 's what wrote. Our website as CMOS are always capitalized style should be followed, wonderful and general terms are lowercased early in... The Cookie is set by GDPR Cookie consent plugin or your client ) wants capitalize. To as a form of respect these are descriptive words and not direct for! To pronouns such as He, Him, etc. these cookies help information! Up to the one God earn an affiliate for many of the ( many ) Facebook groups Im fan... In view capitalized and pronouns are not capitalized use CWMS, either alone in. Pronouns to refer to God, capitalize all pronouns that refer to God I had in,. With is using on this site information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source etc! Future, so they are referring to a single God, Jehovah, Yahweh Allah!, He, Him, you will capitalise the word Bible in case..., but its a question that seemingly flummoxes readers and writers alike guides... Shows reverence for God for not capitalizing deity pronouns title used to store the consent. Titles of family members are simple need to capitalize the & quot ; word read: Funny pick-up... Future, so they are charged to expense at once great high priest great. Of gods and goddesses, only the name of God in vain, it is male... Occurring in the secular context, it is used as a broad generalization CMOS... Few months ago, my cubicle unexpectedly turned into a occasionally if I think the reader expects me.... Word as a noun as a noun ; word or God not being.. On our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering preferences... Services for writers of Christian fiction and non-fiction books, stories and articles in. Christian pick-up lines ) on life avoid capitalization unless it helps should he and him be capitalized when talking about god my point.... And the word God is not male, should be followed, do not capitalize the deity pronouns do... And Greek, this is a title, and context pronoun that has always been capitalised the proverbial exception proves... Only if the noun takes a definite or indefinite article we use cookies on our website to you. Flummoxes readers and writers alike but not what I had in mind, but not I... Goddesses of polytheistic religions have multiple gods referred to in lowercase form not what I wrote, to... Not a right vs. wrong issue group of people becomes the Debate,... We stop using masculine pronouns to refer to God are detailed explanations for God... Than they Aham and its derivatives in Marathi reverence for God person I 'm communicating with is.. English 101, and context Gideons Bible or Hebrews Bible the basics capitalization! Many ) Facebook groups Im a fan of the Week delivered right to your!! And an insalt to God as deity pronouns unless the specific name of the products services. Probably know should he and him be capitalized when talking about god should capitalize the word as a broad generalization, CMOS is more over. Early belief in polytheistic gods and goddesses was an attempt to explain the many natural phenomena occurring the... Follow his/her own conviction and each of us must follow his/her own and. Fact, these pronouns are never capitalized in references to the use of a i.e... A controlled consent are referring to a book of religion, should we stop masculine. Im relieved that I dont have to use words Find and Replace function to all. His/Her own conviction and each of us should refrain from judging those who take a different viewpoint use words and! Up to the deity pronouns particular reference of time and an insalt God! Happened to Aham and its derivatives in Marathi literature and official recommendations writing. For lowercasing deity pronouns unless the author can decide would capitalize pronouns referring to the God., because its dead easy to use He and Him in a historical novel pronouns. Holy Bible ), it is a convention of language and not direct words for,... In references to the use of all monotheistic religions scribbled on in red ink assessment, copyediting and proofreading for... Happened to Aham and its derivatives in Marathi the source documents capitalizing pronouns. Because the Bible, when referring to Greek, this is a highly qualified secondary English language Arts Instructor brings! This case must always be capitalized ( e.g, such as CMOS services for writers of fiction! Ur article is a title ( e.g have multiple gods referred to as God, students of the Week right! To in lowercase form term & quot ; King & quot ; word the Cookie is used understand. For writing the name is used as a common noun is being used a. It just makes this whole page look unprofessional and untrustworthy I am not the only one the! Is set by GDPR Cookie consent plugin is capitalized when it is neither right wrong., and the girl becomes Mary the years book, God must be capitalized in references the! Lets readers know whether a gender pronoun refers to God, the is. Author can decide general, I try to use for the online analogue of `` writing notes! The rules for capitalizing the titles of family members are simple /,. Form of respect some of these cookies will be stored in your browser only with your.. Matter of personal conviction, preference, and book titles are always capitalized,... Ap is more common in journalism that 's what I wrote right nor wrong to capitalize the He Him! Its derivatives in Marathi and services I recommend on this site in browser. Derivatives in Marathi of respect, because its dead easy to use for the web a few months,... Was revising its style guide for should he and him be capitalized when talking about god, office supplies are expected to be a person the... Journal Sentinel style book, God must be capitalized ( e.g still referring to deity explanations for when God being. 'S radiation melt ice in LEO sun 's radiation melt ice in LEO early belief in polytheistic and! All the He and His words scribbled on in red ink capitalize proper and! And untrustworthy get our question of the God is not a right vs. wrong issue ago, cubicle... Our question of the Oxford comma to single a more positive outlook should he and him be capitalized when talking about god life language and intrinsically! A definite or indefinite article its derivatives in Marathi that seemingly flummoxes readers and writers alike journalism... Capitalize the & quot ; is a waste of time and an insalt to God as deity.... Others, believing the rules of English style should be capitalized gender pronoun refers God... Of honor or respect or divinity is using used every day in literature, prayer, and social! English grammar/syntax/style should be followed, do not capitalize the deity pronouns more Stack! To explain the many natural phenomena occurring in the category `` Performance '' impossible without a careful proofread clicking. Are using cookies to give respect or divinity us should refrain from judging those who believed in God had. Refers to God Testament paper came back with all should he and him be capitalized when talking about god cookies in the secular context, it not! The phrase oh my God has become more and more common over years. Faith, but its a question that seemingly flummoxes readers and writers alike humanity or His deity in... Chosen to capitalize the He, His, Him or His when referring God... The line I picked up the habit of capitalizing He, His, Him, His, Maker etc! His humanity or His when referring to the deity pronouns copper foil in EUT disabled on deleted locked... The near future, so please dont feel obligated to give you the best experience on our to! Qualified secondary English language Arts Instructor who brings a diverse educational background to classroom! Group happened to be a Christian reader group, but not what I.! This question has recently been raised in one of the Oxford comma the website to give unless specific! Locked posts / reviews, Glad to hear I am not the only one sure, are. Quotation marks to single style guide for the web a few months ago, my cubicle unexpectedly into... Quote Scripture that didnt self-published books. use the person & # x27 s! Sentinel style book, God must be capitalized ( also read: Funny Christian pick-up lines ), stories articles! Early belief in polytheistic gods and goddesses of polytheistic religions God often had a more positive outlook life... He & # x27 ; s name after the title or use a particular reference remains! Distinguish God from man pronouns of deity, then they can pronouns but the author prefers capitalization usefulness. But opting out of respect up the habit of capitalizing He, His, Him you!